Arbor

The North American scene has given us, recently, so many good releases that I believe it did change people’s idea on USBM. I know it did change mine. From the visceral and pungent butchers in Profanatica, or VON, to the XXI century and the likes of Arbor, the focus of this article, Black Metal from the other side of the pond has changes a lot… or maybe it was our perspective that changed.

Arbor is a one-man-band from the New York, in the state of New York. The man, by the name Taurus, also conjures Black Metal in Fellwinter and Gauntlet Ring, and I advise all of you to check both, in case you have not already. Arbor plays Black Metal, rooted in melody and a not so weak melancholy. Why not weak? Well, I am a sucker of melody, and I look for melody in whatever genre I listen to. The idea of being just a big sonic blur, is something I despise; the idea of random noises, just no…

“Winter Moon”, from 2021, is Taurus’ first release with Arbor, and what a release it is. This New Wave of United States of America Black Metal (coining the term) has given us some really good stuff. In my opinion, what stands out the most is their notion that Music is an enormous sphere, and not just a niche thing, and that shows, easily, in their Art. A track like “Breath of Night”, for example, has this almost groovy thing to it, which I find hard to describe due to not being a musician, but it is an uplifting feeling. Very abnormal in Black Metal, but it hits hard, and it does not lose an ounce of power. Overall, this is a very refreshing album, with an updated sort of approach to the genre.

“Journey of My Spirit” arrives in the same year, and it brings the same: this atmosphere of cold and haunting tunes yet refreshing. I agree that Black Metal is, perhaps, the most inventive genre within the Heavy Metal universe, but in the end, I tend to fall for the same line of Black Metal, even when I find something that I really believe to be good and different. I dare say you train yourself for certain frequencies or whatever (joking). Back to the release. I see this one to be as good as the previous, but maybe a less into the groovier side of Black Metal, and more into the traditional – the beginnings of the plague – and with that Folk scent, you know? when I read Folk Black Metal… I tend to feel awkward. I remember reading that Primordial were Folk Black Metal, and that A.A. was not a fan of the label. Of course… Primordial is Primordial, period. On the other hand, I understand the label Folk as a reminiscence of certain melodies and imaginaries, and with that I can agree. Arbor is not a Folk Black Metal band; however, his melodies take you to places that you identify with such. And it has this cold aura to it! The 90s Black Metal had this melody and cold thing to it. Hard to explain the cold, or maybe not, but I believe you get me. Arbor has that; Arbor has the ability to craft beautiful melodies, evocative of days that are gone, and I absolutely love that about his work.

And we reach Present times. 2022 sees a new Arbor release: “The Fading Light”. Still loving the aesthetic of it: xerox, simple, name and title, kill it. Sound wise, I risk say it did speed up his playing a little bit… at times, at least. Anyway, the essence is still there, still present, and cold. “Black Night”, for example, has this Punkish thing to it, which I do not recall hearing in his previous works, at least not this audible, this visceral. Still love the melody that reminds me of Castles and Medieval Battles. Go figure LOL but this new release is not all Guts n’ Blood. Those melodic guitar riffs are outstanding, and he keeps on giving more class to his Art… Production wise, I feel he has reached this level where you have the raw, and aggressive, side of Black Metal, nut also a clean - sort of, at least - sound. The music never loses its power, its Black Metal side, but it offers a melody so good, that it resembles, for me at least, what was done in the 90, and some will say Eastern Europe at some points, and I will not decline to the possibility of such…

Tome of Alsiare - “Engulfing Visions of Reidemer’s Ruin” (Worship the Void, 2022)

The United States again. No need to mention it again, we know how it was, and you clearly know how it is now. From the frantic mind of Roanake (Gloria’s Garden, Northern Solitude, They Heart, Thine Kingdom, Till, Xirgan, Nocturnal Tyrant and more) comes Tome of Alsiare, an entity that extends the artist’s excellency. 

The eerie, yet haunting synth moments, give his compositions an aura of old, melancholic, Past days that died. Like his other projects, his melodic craftsmanship is ever present, and it enriches the music to high levels. At times the pace is quite fast, and in others it slows down to a much more depressive level. Keeping it raw, of course; production wise it is spot on. Audible enough to keep you fixated, paying attention to every detail… and then you notice the bass! As it might sound strange, if ends up being perfect. Heavy bass, solid wall of sound, and with the raw atmosphere, it grows immensely. The drumming is quite simple, nonetheless it hits - no pun intended - all the needed marks.

Hard to not feel drawn into the music. It is wonderful…l and the melodies. I have mentioned it before, but the melodies. The thing is, the other projects Roanake plays in are equally important and worthy of your attention, which confirms the skills this lad has when it comes to create Music, Art; therefore, it would be interesting to see how synth moments would fit into this new incarnation of the Artist, in a more present sense.

I have been on a 90s Black Metal marathon. From the classics I used to listen to as a younger kid, to the ones that come after, that period of time had this particular melody to it, that I have not sense recaptured many times. With that I am not saying that this man pulled of that exact melody, and I hardly doubt that that was his goal. However, and I say this a lot, the USBM scene has grown so much in terms of quality. I dare say not many of these new bands, projects, musicians, will be able to take Akhenaten’s place as the pinnacle of the scene… but please try.

With that said, I advise you to please check Tome de Alsiare, as well as all of the remaining project this lad puts his hands on. Enjoy.